According to screenwriter Norman Spinrad, Gene Roddenberry, the founder of Star Trek, wanted to feature Milton Berle on an episode. Berle, a comedian, had been immensely popular in the 1950s -- to the extent that he was known as "Mr. Television." By 1967, Berle's popularity had faded, so getting him on Star Trek would have been feasible. Spinrad claims that he did his best, but the story concept had no hope of success:

This original version was rewritten into an unfunny comedy by the line producer Gene Coon apparently unaware that Uncle Miltie was also a serious dramatic actor and a good one. It t was so bad that I complained to Roddenberry.

"This is so lousy, Gene, that you should kill it!" I told him. "You can't, you shouldn't, shoot this thing! Read it and weep!"

Gene did, and he agreed with me. I killed my second Star Trek, which, down through the years has cost me tens of thousands of dollars in lost residuals.

Spinrad claims that he lost his copy of the script, but a fan recently discovered one.